FORMER ROANE TEACHER ACQUITTED OF SEX ABUSE

(03/09/2006)

A former Roane County teacher and later Sissonville band instructor was acquitted yesterday of sexual abuse charges in Kanawha Circuit Court. One of of four charges remained against Rodney Newhouse of Sissonville. Newhouse was charged with first-degree sexual abuse, that he groped a former Sissonville High School cheerleader, Stevee Baldwin, in September 2004. The jury returned a not-guilty verdict after one hour. Newhouse cried and hugged members of his family after the verdict. Three similar charges against Newhouse were thrown out by Circuit Judge James Stucky, saying that the testimony of the three young women involved didn't match what police told a grand jury. Newhouse's attorney told the jury that there were "doubts aplenty" in Baldwin's story. Baldwin filed a civil suit against the Roane and Kanawha County boards.

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